Federal Bills

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration currently bans the presence of 379 common equine drugs in animals slaughtered for human consumption. However, there is no procedure in place to ensure that American horses, sold to slaughterhouses and killed for human consumption, are free of these FDA-banned substances.

The Pet Safety and Protection Act was crafted to halt the notorious trade in random source dogs and cats by Class B dealers. The other supply chains would be virtually unaffected. Dogs and cats could be supplied by Class A dealers (breeders); established breeding colonies; those municipal pounds who opt to sell animals directly to laboratories (except for stray animals); and individuals (these animals could be donated, but not sold, thereby removing the financial incentive driving the current fraudulent behavior).

Hauling horses in double-deck trailers is dangerous and inhumane. These trailers do not provide sufficient headroom for horses to stand upright. They often endure long journeys in cramped positions and suffer serious injuries as a result. The Horse Transportation Safety Act amends Title 49, United States Code, to prohibit the transportation of horses in interstate commerce in a motor vehicle containing two or more levels stacked on top of one another (commonly known as “double-deck trailers.”)

Ends the failed industry self-policing system. USDA would train, license, and assign inspectors to horse shows instead of having HIOs choose who conducts inspections. Shows would still have the option of hiring inspectors or declining to do so; show management who opt out would (as in current law) risk greater liability if soring is uncovered at their show.

To protect animal and human health by combating the excessive use of antibiotics in agriculture, the Preservation of Antibiotics for Medical Treatment Act (PAMTA) would prohibit the non-therapeutic feeding of medically-important antibiotics to livestock.

Cosmetics testing on animals is inhumane, untrustworthy, not cost effective, and at odds with the laws and regulations of many countries throughout the world. The Humane Cosmetics Act would phase out animal-based testing for cosmetic products in the United States in favor of cutting-edge testing methods, and eventually prohibit the sale of cosmetics tested on animals in other countries, making sure that only safe and humane products enter the American market.

In January of 2015, The New York Timesreleased a shocking front-page exposé detailing horrific examples of animal abuse at the US Meat Animal Research Center (MARC) in Clay Center, Nebraska. MARC is a government laboratory within the US Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Research Service. Cruel and callous experiments involving pigs, sheep, and cattle have been routinely conducted under the guise of research to improve profits for industrial agriculture.

Help Domestic Violence Survivors Find Safety: Support the Pet and Women Safety (PAWS) Act (H.R. 1258). Any member of a household can become a victim of domestic violence: spouses or partners, children, elderly relatives, even companion animals. In fact, fear of what might happen to their pets keeps many human victims from leaving. The PAWS Act will help bridge the gap between the tremendous need for services for domestic violence survivors with pets and the ability of agencies to meet those needs.